LIU 成都味道 cooks on Kronenstraße near Gendarmenmarkt, plating noodles and snacks out of Chengdu, the capital of Sichuan.

The Sichuan beef noodles sit at the centre — selectable in chili levels from zero to three, balanced on in-house chili oil and Sichuan peppercorn that leaves a numbing tingle on the tongue. Around them run Chuan-Chuan-Xiang skewers out of the spicy broth, wontons in chili oil and dumplings with coriander and spring onion. Doors open Monday through Friday for lunch with a few evening slots, the weekend stays shut and the till runs mostly on cash. Level two on the beef noodle hits the spot where heat still carries aroma.